What are the 10 most prescribed drugs in the United States?
Drugs are back in the spotlight after expansions to Medicare and caps on drug prescription prices. Which ones are prescribed the most?
With a considerably aging population, more and more drugs are being administered.ClinCalc.com has data from 2019 in which hundreds of billions of drugs were described. Lets take a look at the 10 most prolific.
Avorstatin - 112,104,359
Avorstatin is used to lower cholesterol and fat level; it is a statin after all. Couple that with a healthy diet and exercise and the combination works to prevent chest pain and strokes.
Levothyroxine - 102,595,103
This drug is used to treat faulty thyroids, which regulates the body’s temperature. It is also the organ which manages the body’s growth.
Lisinopril - 91,862,708
Lisinopril is an angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitor used to treat high blood pressure. The inhibitor prevents the production of angiotensin II, stopping the narrowing of blood vessels.
Nearly half of all adults have or are taking medicine for high blood pressure in the US.
Metformin - 85,739,443
A diabetes treatment, metformin regulates blood sugar levels. Around 30 million Americans suffer with the illness.
Average prices for insulin treatment pills have grown by 15 percent each year since 2012. It can cost between $175 and $300 for a vial of which most need at least three a month.
Metoprolo- 74,578,817
Metoprolo is also used to treat high blood pressure as well as angina, a type of chest pain.
As a beta-blocker, it blocks specific hormones from increasing your heartrate, preventing heart attacks in people who have already suffered.
Amlodipine - 73,542,114
Treats high blood pressure. As a calcium channel blocker, Amlodipine prevents the heart from contracting and opens blood vessels.
Albuterol - 60,679,987
Albuterol provides relief from asthma attacks by relaxing the muscles in your airways. Usually it is distributed in an inhaler.
Omeprazole - 52,546,641
Omeprazole is used to treat conditions that force too much acidity the in stomach. This can cause indigestion and ulcers.
It is also available over the counter.
Losartan - 51,773,869
Another blood pressure drug. Losartan may be prescribed to help slow down long-term kidney damage.
Gabapentin - 47,149,505
Gabapentin prevents seizures and epilepsy as well as a host of illnesses related to the nervous system.